Anticorrosion plug



Sept. 3, 1946.

H. A. LOCKWOOD ANTICORROS ION PLUG Fiied June 25, 1942 lNVEN TOR Patented Sept. 3, 1946 ANTICORROSION PLUG Harry A. Lockwood, Meriden, Conn., assignor to Chandler-Evans Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application June 25, 1942, Serial No. 448,443

4 Claims.

My invention relates to anti-corrosion plugs.

It has among its objects to provide an improved anti-corrosion plug. A further object of my invention is to provide improved closure means for such a plug which are of improved construction and cooperate in an improved manner therewith in effectively sealing the dehydrating material in the plug. Another object is the provision of such an improved plug having a closure of such improved construction as to make it possible to apply the closure readily and quickly while obtaining an effective seal, while also readily and quickly removing the closure whenever desired. A still further object of my invention is to provide improved concave closure means of a construction adapted to be readily and inexpensively manufactured and readily and quickly attached over the perforated inlet of such a plug in such manner as to cooperate therewith and with a suitable sealing medium in an improved manner to provide an improved very efiective, et readily applied and separable, frangible sealing connec tion between said closure means and the plug. These and other objects and advantages of my improvements will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown for purposes of illustration one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In this drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of this form of my improved plug;

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an end view showing the closure carrying end of the plug, a portion of the closure being broken away to facilitate illustration, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the inlet end of the plug with my improved closure shown in section to facilitate illustration.

In this illustrative construction, I have shown an anti-corrosion plug, generally indicated at I, and, as usual, preferably formed of a suitable transparent plastic, as for example Tenite (cellulose acetate butyrate), and provided with a longitudinally extending chamber 2 containing suitable dehydrating or desiccating material such, for example, as silica gel; the plug I herein being provided at one end with a usual end member 4, and having a wrench receiving portion 5 intermediate its ends, an adjacent thread 6 adapted to be threaded in a spark plu aperture of an internal combustion engine, and at its opposite end being provided with an air inlet portion 1, herein having a perforated portion Ia preferably, but not necessarily, slightly countersunk in that end of the plug and sealed by my improved closure 8 which is hereinafter more fully described.

This closure 8 preferably is formed of the same material as the plug I. As shown, it is provided with an inner cupped face 9 having a peripheral concave portion I engaging the inlet portion 1 at the usual, but not necessarily slightly rounded edge I I of the end wall thereof at that extremity of the plug I. Here it will also be noted that the closure 8 extends peripherally beyond the annular contact thus provided between its concave portion I0 and the annular portion I I on the plug I in such manner as thereby to provide an overhanging peripheral fiange portion I2. It will also be observed that the concave portion II! is herein extended out to the extremity of this portion I2 i such manner as to provide an inwardly ta pered space I3 between the flange portion I2 and the body of the plug I.

In Order to seal the closure 8 to the plug I, a small quantity of a suitable solvent for the plastic material of plug I and closure 8 is applied to the surfaces of the concave portion IQ of the closure 8 and the annular portion I I of the plug I.

A quick-drying solvent is preferred. For example, if the plastic is Tem'te (cellulose acetate butyrate), then the solvent used may be acetone. A small amount of the plastic mate-- rial is dissolved, and when the solvent dries, the plug and closure are sealed to each other by an integral annular connection of the same material as the plug andclosure.

Obviously, the exterior of the closure 8 may assume different forms, but the same is preferably provided with a convex outer surface I5 diverging slightly toward its periphery from the concave surface Ii! in such manner as to provide such additional material in the flange portion I2 as to provide a flange portion of substantial strength.

. As a result of my improved construction, it will be apparent that the perforated air inlet 1 is effectively sealed by the engagement of the concave portion III on the closure 8 with the portion II surrounding the air inlet; the acetone acting, in effect, to integrally unite the parts and thus form a narrow and frangible sealing ring, readily breakable by prying or knocking off the closure 8. Moreover, the portion II will thus be effectively sealed by the concave portion I0, regardless of exact centering of the plug and closure, thus markedly facilitating and expediting sealing. Within certain limits the closure or cap can have its axis at an angle to that of the container body without interfering with the mak ng of an effective seal. The flange portion I2 also extends beyond the periphery of the adjacent portion of the plug I beyond the threaded portion 6 on the latter in such manner as not only to protect the frangible seal I4, but also quite obviously to make it impossible for the plug with the closure 8 thereon to be inserted in an engine spark plug aperture adapted to receive the threaded portion 6. Only after the cap has been removed can the plug be placed in the spark plug hole of the engine for desiccating the engine cylinder. The provision of a separate closure of plastic also makes it possible to provide such a closure of different color from the plug in such manner as thereby also to make even more obvious that this closure should be removed. Due to the overhanging flange l2 and the tapered space provided between the same and the body of the plug, it will also be evident that for removing the closure 8, either a suitable tool may be inserted under this flange with a slight prying action, or, if desired, a blow may be struck on the under side of the flange, in such manner as thereby readily to sever the slender annular fragible seal I4. Moreover, it will be noted that the construction is such that the closure 8 is removable as a unit and without breakage while the frangible connection breaks with a clean break in such manner as to eliminate loose material which otherwise might enter the cylinder. Also, due to the shape of the cupped face 9 of the closure 8 and its spacing from the perforated portion 1a of the air inlet, as well as to the slight countersinking of the portion la, the perforations therein are also kept clear of obstructing material. Space is conserved and the removal of the cap facilitated by having the peripheral part of the crowned cap extend across the side wall of the body at an inclination or angle to the body axis substantially .in the manner shown. These and other advantages of my improvements will, however, be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The member 4 previously referred to is a closure for that end of the plug which is outermost when the plug is installed on the engine cylinder.

It will be appreciated that as it appears on the market the improved article is a completely closed and sealed capsule preferably of transparent plastic containing a charge of desiccating material which is visible by virtue of the transparency of the capsule, the latter including as a part thereof a cap member preferably of the same plastic material as the body, preferably united in one piece with the body as by the use of acetone or other solvent in the manner previously described. In any event there is a relatively easily frangible seal between the cap and the body which, however, is readily maintained while the article is stored or not required for use. When the article is required for use it cannot be applied to the engine cylinder without breakage of the seal because the external diameter of the cap is greater than the minimum internal diameter of the threaded (spark plug) socket receiving the desiccatin plug. From this it will be apparent that the external diameter of the cap should be in excess of the minimum diameter of the screw threads 6 formed upon the plug rearwardly of the cap carried by the forward extremity of the plug. Upon removing the cap in the manner previously described, the desiccating material is placed in communication with th atmosphere through the forward end of the capsule body containing the screen-like member I This screen-like member is, as a result of the removal of the cap, fully uncovered.

While I have herein specifically described one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form has been chosen for purposes of illustration, and that the invention may be modified and embodied in other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sealable container comprising a casing therein and a sharp-edged peripheral surface surrounding said aperture, and a closure member of said material having a greater diameter than said peripheral surface and a concave surface disposed toward said aperture, said surfaces permitting a limited angularity of the axes of said members while a continuous, substantially circular line contact i maintained therebetween, said members bein adapted when placed in contact and upon the application of a solvent for said material to the contacting surfaces thereof to dissolve slightly in said solvent so that upon evaporation of said solvent, a narrow, easily frangible annular sealing connection is formed between said casing and closure members.

2. A sealable container comprising a casing member of plastic material having an aperture therein and a sharp-edged peripheral surface surrounding said aperture, anda closure member of said material having a greater diameter than said apertureand a concave surface disposed toward said aperture, said surfaces permitting a limited angularity of the axes of said members while a continuous, substantially circular contact is maintained therebetween, said members being adapted when placed in contact and upon the application of a solvent for said material to the contacting surfaces thereof to dissolve slightly in said solvent so that upon evaporation of said solvent, an integral annular sealing connection is formed between said members, said closure member having a thickened rim section providing, by virtue of its greater diameter, a prying edge which may be used to break said connection and remove said closure.

3. A sealable container comprising a casing member of plastic material having an aperture therein and a sharp-edged peripheral surface surrounding said aperture, and a circular closure member of said material having a greater diameter than said aperture and a surface of arcuate cross-section, said surfaces permitting a limited angularity of the axes of said members while a continuous, substantially circular contact is maintained therebetween, said members being adapted when placed in contact and upon the application of a solvent for said material to the contacting surfaces thereof to dissolve slightly in said solvent so that upon evaporation of said solvent, an integral annular sealing connection is formed between said members, said closure member having a'thickened rim section providing, by virtue of its greater diameter, a prying edge which may be used to break said connection and remove said closure.

4. A sealable container comprising a casing member of plastic material having an aperture therein and a sharp-edged peripheral surface surrounding said aperture, and a closure member of said material having a greater diameter than said aperture and a surface of arcuate cross-section, said surfaces permitting a limited angularity of the axes of said members while a continuous, substantially circular contact is maintained th'erebetween, said members being adapted when placed in contact and upon the application of a solvent for said material to the contacting surfaces thereof to dissolve slightly in said solvent so that upon evaporation of said solvent, an integral annular sealing connection is formed between said members, said closure member providing, by virtue of its greater diameter, a prying rim which may be used to break said connection and remove said closure.

HARRY A. LOCKWOOD. 

